But ultimately, greed won over reason.
After a series of plans, they secretly executed the hunter, and Shi Miao burned the corpse to ashes using the technique of fire.
Later, Shi Miao personally went to the place where the hunter fell off the cliff to investigate with the Vein-Seeking Skill, discovering that there was indeed a hidden spirit ore vein beneath the cliff.
Shi Chong also understood that if the clan court discovered the Shi Family’s secret mining of the spirit ore vein, it would bring about a catastrophic disaster for the Shi Family.
However, considering that the profits from a spirit ore vein far exceeded the tributes given by the Shen Family every year, he decided to take the risk and gamble.
At least secretly mining for a few years first, gaining so benefits before presenting the spirit ore vein to the Shen Family to earn a reward.
Who would have thought that less than a year later, the clan court discovered it.
As for those mysterious Immortal Seedlings, Shi Chong believed there was nothing amiss.
Their backgrounds and origins were all strictly handled, and not even so branch family mbers within the Shi Family noticed any issues with their identities.
Moreover, it’s been so many years, how the clan court eventually found out, he couldn’t quite figure out.
"Patriarch Shi?"
Shen Chongming looked at Shi Chong, who was slumped on the ground, and coldly spoke: "Is what is written above true?"
Shi Chong’s expression turned dazed, wanting very much to deny it.
Yet he knew that since the clan court had discovered these two matters, they likely had crucial evidence in hand.
Indeed, for the Shen Family, to deal with the Shi Family, re suspicion was sufficient; no evidence was even needed.
"Bring them all up."
Seeing him silent, Shen Chongming spoke in a deep voice.
Outside the ancestral hall’s grand hall, a cultivator imdiately cupped his hands and ran out.
Soon after, multiple clan court disciples led in more than a dozen n, won, elderly, and children into the hall.
These people were all cultivators from the Shi Family.
As a small clan within the affiliated families, the resources for cultivation the Shi Family received each year were nowhere near enough to support so many cultivators.
This was in itself a loophole.
Moreover, seven of them were not even on the clan court’s list of registered cultivators.
Shen Chongming’s gaze swept over the dozen people, finally stopping on a dark-skinned young man.
Under his gaze, the young man bowed his head in sha.
"Young Clan Leader... I..."
Thousands of words crowded at his lips, yet Shi Miao didn’t know how to begin.
In fact, when he initially chose to keep the spirit ore vein hidden, he also found it hard to sleep.
His mind kept recalling the various scenes of fighting alongside Shen Chongming and Zhao Tuan on the mountain frontline, feeling he shouldn’t have had this greed.
But at the thought of relying on that spirit ore vein to acquire enough resources, he could quickly reach the Qi Cultivation Perfection Realm.
By then, if the Shen Family rewarded him with a asure of Innate Spiritual Qi, it would be ideal; if not, he could still use the spirit ore vein to exchange for so spirit crystals to purchase it himself.
"Back at the manor, did grandfather ever teach you clan regulations?"
Shen Chongming looked at him and slowly spoke.
Shi Miao’s complexion subtly changed, nodding slightly.
He glanced at his nearby clan mbers, then at Shi Chong, who was slumped on the ground.
His expression was mournful, his face breaking into a bitter smile.
"Young Clan Leader, I have wronged both you and the Elder Patriarch..."
"But... I truly don’t want to die at the hands of the clan regulations."
With a face full of hope, he looked at Shen Chongming and said: "If the Young Clan Leader can trust , let lead these clan mbers to the mountain frontline to battle the demon beasts."
"Dying at the hands of demon beasts would at least ease my heart sowhat."
Looking into his eyes, Shen Chongming contemplated briefly before waving his hand: "Send them all to the mountains."
Upon hearing this, Shi Miao suddenly broke free from the two clan court disciples, kneeling down to kowtow!
"Thank you, Young Clan Leader!"
The two clan court disciples did not stand on ceremony, rather roughly pulling him and the dozen cultivators from the Shi Family out.
"Young Clan Leader, how shall we deal with this person?"
Lu Zhiyuan looked at Shi Chong upon asking.
Shen Chongming waved his hand: "Proceed according to clan regulations."
"Moreover, for the direct lineage of the Shi Family within five degrees, all bloodlines shall be severely dealt with, permanently stripping them of their cultivation rights, and sent to the mountain mines."
Lu Zhiyuan nodded, then slowly raised his sleeve.
Before him, Literary Qi in the void coagulated into an ancient scroll. After writing two lines on the scroll from afar, Lu Zhiyuan gently waved his hand.
The scroll transford into a golden light, flying out of the ancestral hall and towards the clan court.
Over at the clan court, nurous disciples were already prepared. As soon as the scroll appeared, they directly headed for the Black Stone Village’s Shi Family.
As for Shi Chong, he had already been taken out, awaiting only his death.
After handling the Shi Family, Shen Chongming’s gaze slowly turned to the right, to the elderly man as pale as paper.
Feeling Shen Chongming’s gaze, Chen Family Patriarch Chen Changhai imdiately slid off the sandalwood chair, crawling over with rolling and pleading.
"Young Clan Leader, spare my life!"
"Young Clan Leader, my Chen Family was... also forced!"
"Back then, that person suddenly appeared in Xingyang City’s City Lord’s Mansion, and I, along with several Chen Family cultivators, imdiately engaged... but were... but were instantly sent flying with a sleeve wave."
"Later, he threatened with over two hundred Chen Family mbers to reveal the Young Clan Leader’s whereabouts."
Shen Chongming narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So, you spoke?"
Chen Changhai, upon hearing this, continued to kowtow, daring not to speak.
"Ha... despite always considering yourself Youran’s uncle."
Shen Chongming sneered.
Rembered vividly when the first selection of Spirit Root Immortal Seedlings was made, and Chen Youran was detected as having a spirit root, Chen Changhai’s father, Chen Sanxing, cheekily approached Chen Youran, saying regarding seniority, Chen Youran should call him Seventh Grandpa.
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